Kathleen Kerr

WHO IS SHE

A Community Project to honour women who have enriched our lives

The Ban Righ Centre supports mature women who are starting or returning to education at Queen’s University. In taking this significant step, these women found role models, advocates and inspiration in other women. Then, as they engage in their studies and in their activities beyond Queen’s with friends, family, peers and colleagues, these students effect continual and positive change, extending the reach of their mentors and the Ban Righ Centre. Through “Who Is She?” we honour women who make a difference.

Kathleen Kerr

Honoured by: Diane Dawber

Kathleen Kerr, MD, Dip. in Environmental Health, is a Family Physician, a member of the team at the provincial Environmental Health Clinic at Women’s College Hospital, lecturer in the University of Toronto’s Department of Family and Community Medicine, and a co-writer of the Ontario College of Family Physicians’ Review of Pesticides, among many other achievements. Dr. Kerr is one of those rare, pioneering, scientist physicians and she expects the patient to be the partner. Along with the usual care, she recommends books to read and suggests that you might do so-and-so to see if that will help your situation. This is how the Health Pursuits Reading/Study Group began, with five women reading a book she suggested, discussing options, sharing results and compiling data. The paradigm of critical thinking about self-care has helped us succeed in helping ourselves, and many others, with difficult, ‘unexplained’ illnesses such as Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and many other conditions.

Thank you Dr. Kerr for dropping that pebble into the pond. The ripples of better health are spreading.